assassination in afghanistan. mandy clark reports that president karzai's brother was gunned down. laid off on day one. cynthia bowers in a city so strapped it's firing cops as soon as they get their badge. and the first, first lady of the modern age, bill whitaker remembers betty ford who forever changed how america views the white house. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley reporting tonight from washington. >> pelley: good evening. it was a striking thing, today, to hear the president of the united states say that he cannot guarantee the 27 million social security checks that you are due to be mailed august 3rd. august 3rd is the day after the government will default on its debts if democrats and republicans do not agree to increase the nation's borrowing limit. both sides say they won't raise the limit without a deal to massively cut the federal deficit. a u.s. default would shake the world economy. the stakes could not be higher. time is growing short. in our interview, president obama said the situation is dangerous. >> we met the presi